Super Hero
by Caris L. Clearwater
Summary: Jack doesn't believe he's a hero. But when the Breeze asks him to save a small boy stuck under a tree, how can he refuse her? Will Jack finally discover that the true meaning of being a hero doesn't include a cape? For Rouge Apple!


**A/N: Hello all of you wonderful Gone lovers! It's me, Caris, out to do a oneshot instead of a drabble for once. I hope you all enjoy this story—it's got normal cannon pairings. *Le Gasp!* This is very odd for someone who takes a creepy pleasure in pulling apart the plot of Gone and messing with the pairings until the general population of this site is ready to slap me…but, oh well. **

**Dedication: To Miss Rouge Apple. 'Cause she rocks and is the master of Orc fanfics. (And because she dared me to write this story.) **

**Super Hero**

Computer Jack felt the earthquake from his room. He was sitting at his desk, rewriting codes on his Mac, when it hit. There was a violent shaking; the windows rattled and the desk shook. The Mac slid off the desk and landed with a devastating _crack_ on the floor. Computer Jack nearly wept at the sight of his ruined monitor, but was able to hold it together long enough to climb under his desk. The room shook again and a few tiles fell from the ceiling. Jack tucked his head between his knees and put his hands over his neck, just the way they'd been taught to at school. School. Jack almost cried at the thought of his old gym teacher, Mr. Doonesbury, yelling at his students to, "GET DOWN! THIS IS A DRILL! DO YOU HEAR ME, MAGGOTS? A DRILL! THAT MEANS YOU STOP PLAYING YOUR STUPID IPODS AND TAKE COVER, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, OR I SWEAR I'LL GIVE YOU A MONTH'S WORTH OF DETENTION AND AN ERTERNATY WORTH OF HEARTACHE!"

Ah. Good times.

When the shaking ceased Jack crawled out from underneath his desk to survey the damage. His monitor was busted, his framed photograph of his parents was cracked, and his bed was on its side. Nothing that couldn't be fixed, Jack reasoned.

He stood and walked over to his bed, easily flipping it right side up with one hand. One of the perks of having the power; no workouts required. Even if strength and sports weren't Jack's thing, he had to admit, being a three bar did come in handy.

Computer Jack straightened up his room, listening to the sounds of kids from his bedroom window. It sounded like they were milling around outside, also surveying the damage that had been done. Jack hoped nothing had happened to the McDonalds. Even though the burgers had run out, Albert still brought what food he could in to cook up and serve. He also transformed the restaurant into dance club at night. Jack wasn't normally one for dancing, but it was nice to drop by and listen to the music for a while. Besides, there were days he could hardly stand being by himself. The loneliness would eat at Jack until he was hungrier for company than food. So, the club it was.

Jack picked up the remains of his monitor. He chocked back a sob; there would be no repairing it. The screen was cracked and looked like a spiders' web. And it had been custom made!

Computer Jack held back his fury as he tossed the remains of the monitor into his garbage can. He didn't want to break anything else.

Jack was just finishing cleaning the room when he heard the door to his house open with a _slam_. Jack jumped and banged his toe against his bedpost. Jack cursed and grabbed his foot as the door to his room flung open, revealing none other than Brianna; the Breeze.

The Breeze was panting, her short, dark hair plastered to her pale face. Her Nikes were smoking and her fingers were twitching at an impossible speed.

"Jack!" she yelled. Before Jack could respond the Breeze was standing beside him, eyes wild.

"Jack, I need your help." Computer Jack's eyes widened. _Since when does anyone need my help? _he wondered.

"Huh? With what?" he asked, putting his foot down. The Breeze sighed, pulling her sweaty hair from her face.

"It's Leonardo; you know, that third grader that's always following Astrid around? The one who'd gladly jump in front of a speeding train for her? Well, he did. Only, today it was a falling tree. Leonardo pushed Astrid out of the way, and now he's trapped under some branches." Jack winced. He could only imagine what pain the poor boy must be in.

"That's awful," Jack murmured, brows furrowing. The Breeze nodded.

"Yeah, it is. That's why we need your help. None of us can get him out from under the tree, and he's hurt real bad. Lana's been called over, but she can't heal him until the tree's gone. So, come on, we've got no time to loose." The Breeze looked like she was about to take off in a blur of speed when Jack grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait!" he said. "What do you want me to do?" The Breeze stared at Jack like he was a total idiot.

"I want you to lift the freaking tree off him," she said slowly.

"But…" Jack stuttered. "What about Dekka? Can't she get it off of him?" The Breeze groaned impatiently, stamping her foot.

"Dekka went off hunting with Edilio yesterday! She won't be back until tonight, and by then it'll be too late." Jack gulped. He knew where this was going.

"Breeze…I can't do it." The Breeze's eyes bugged out of her head with anger.

"What do you mean you can't do it?! Of course you can do it! Just grab the tree and lift! What's so complicated about that?" Jack sighed, running a shaking hand through his hair.

"Breeze, I'm not a hero. I don't have a cool nickname or a cape. I'm just…Jack. Just Computer Jack." The Breeze's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, well, 'Just Jack' is going to have to get a rental cape, 'cause that kid needs help _now_, and I'm not going to waste my time listening to lame excuses about why you can't help him. Got it?"

Computer Jack considered arguing for a brief moment. He decided against it.

"Okay, I'll try," Jack said through numb lips. The Breeze grinned.

"That's the spirit! Now, come on Superman, we've got a damsel in distress to save."

*

By the time Computer Jack and the Breeze arrived at the fallen tree, a crowd had gathered. Jack could hear Leonardo's screams, which intensified as he moved closer. The boy was obviously undergoing a great deal of pain.

"Hey, look, there they are! It's the freaks!" The crowd glanced up at Computer Jack and the Breeze as they approached with judgmental eyes. Jack's knees were knocking and his fingers were twitching. He'd never done very well under pressure, especially when other people were there to witness his nervousness. He had a horrible case of stage fright, and the dozens of accusing eyes weren't lessening his burden.

"Jack!" For a terrible moment Jack thought that it was Zil calling out to him. Super human strength or no, Jack was terrified of Zil.

However, it was Sam, trying to move through the crowd to get to them. Jack relaxed; he trusted Sam.

"Hey, Sam, I got here as fast as I could," the Breeze said, rushing up to Sam. "Sorry it took so long; I had a baggage problem." Jack blushed and stared at his feet while Sam flashed the Breeze a momentary smile.

"Never mind that, you're here now. C'mon, that kid's in serious pain." Sam motioned them forward, distress and worry obvious in his voice.

Computer Jack, the Breeze, and Sam pushed there way through the crowd. A few kids shot them thumbs up and mouthed 'Good luck', while others glared and stuck out their middle fingers at them. Jack concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, ignoring the group of kids.

"Oh, Sam, thank god they're here." Jack saw Astrid leaning by the fallen tree. She was holding a young boy's hand. He was crying and squeezing her fingers. His lower body was trapped beneath the tree, his legs twisted at an awful position.

"Please, please, help me," Leonardo moaned. "Don't let me die, Astrid. Please don't let me die." Astrid put her other hand on the boy's cheek.

"I won't let you die, Leonardo. I promise. Jack here is going to lift this tree off of you, and then Lana is going to heal you. You'll be fine." She said it with so much conviction that the boy stopped crying. He whipped his tears away and nodded, his big hazelnut eyes staring up at Jack.

"Okay," he whispered. "If you say so." Jack was touched by how much the boy trusted Astrid. He had total faith in her; if Astrid said he would live, he would. Jack was amazed at the boy's courage. He was a real hero. He pushed Astrid out of the way of the falling tree. He could have been killed, but he did it anyway. Jack was determined to save this boy.

"Brianna," Sam said, taking charge, "when Jack lifts the tree I'm going to need you to dash in and grab Leonardo before it falls again. We don't know how long Jack'll be able to lift it." The Breeze nodded, her face a mask of bravery and determination. _I wish I could be that brave,_ Jack thought. _I wish I could be a hero like her. _

"Jack, you ready for this?" Computer Jack snapped out of his thoughts and stared into Sam's imploring gaze. He nodded once.

"Alright then. Astrid, move away, I don't want you getting hurt." Astrid nodded, squeezing Leonardo's hand a final time before letting go. The boy watched her for a moment before turning to stare up at the Breeze, whose hands were outstretched and at the ready.

"C'mon Jack," Breeze whispered. "Have a little faith."

"Easy for you to say," Jack muttered under his breath. He flexed his fingers and bent down, level to the tree. The trunk was thick, massive, branches flung out in all directions. Jack put two hands under the thickest part of the trunk he could find and pulled.

At first, nothing happened. He was just a normal eleven-year-old boy trying to lift a tree in vain.

And then it came.

The power.

Computer Jack could almost feel it in his fingertips; a tingly sensation that numbed his hands. Computer Jack pulled, and the tree lifted.

"He's doing it!" someone cried.

"C'mon, Jack, pull!"

"Yeah, Jack, you can do it!"

Soon the whole crowd had taken up the chant. Even some of the supposed freak-haters were cheering him on, yelling their support. Jack strained under the weight of the enormous tree. His fingers were sweaty and his veins shown against his pale neck.

"Just a few more inches, Jack!" This time, it was the Breeze who called to him.

Jack mustered up all the energy in his body and sent it into his arms. The effect was instantaneous; the tree shot upward almost a foot. Jack huffed and puffed, struggling to keep a purchase on the rough bark.

"I've almost got him!" the Breeze yelled. Jack's arms screamed at him.

"I'm stuck!" Leonardo cried. "I can't get my leg out!" There was the sound of a small sob; Astrid?

"I need at least three more inches!" the Breeze cried. "Come on Jack! Three more inches. You can do it. Just move the tree three more inches." Computer Jack squeezed his eyes shut.

Three more inches.

For the Breeze, three more inches.

Do it.

For the Breeze, do it.

A flashback came to Jack then. A memory of the Breeze speeding past him. She was running at an unbelievably fast speed, her body a blur of colors and wind. The sight had taken Jack's breath away. She was so fast, so beautiful. She was like lighting; a flash of something wonderful and exotic, bright and incredible. She truly was the super hero everyone made her out to be. She had saved kids' lives. She had done the impossible, and lived to tell the tail. For her, he would move the world; just to prove to her he was worth it. That he could be as stunning and wonderful as she.

That he could be a hero, too.

"Ahhh!" Jack let out an animalistic scream.

The tree trunk soared upward, until Jack was holding the trunk above his head.

For a moment there was a collective silence. No one had realized before that day just how strong Jack had become.

"I've got him!" the Breeze cried. Jack opened his eyes and watched as the Breeze pulled the small boy from the dirt. He stood there for a moment, catching his breath and staring at Leonardo as Lana put her magic hands to his wounded leg.

"Um, Jack?" Computer Jack turned to face Sam, panting.

"Yeah, Sam?"

"You can put the tree down now." Computer Jack blushed and set the tree trunk down. He hadn't realized he was still holding it.

"He did it," some kid said. "Jack picked up an entire tree and held it over his head! He saved Leonardo!" Suddenly kids were clapping, cheering, and patting Jack on the back. Shocked, Jack let himself be congratulated.

"That was totally awesome, man!"

"Yeah! It was wicked!"

"You're a real hero, Jack!"

Computer Jack couldn't believe his ears. Kids he didn't even know where coming up to him, telling him how awesome he was. They were telling him he was brave, strong, and wonderful. They had called him a hero.

For the first time in his life, Jack had been called a hero.

*

"Hey, pass the orange slices, will ya?" Computer Jack handed the Breeze the orange slices.

It had been one hectic week.

First, there had been Leonardo. After having been healed by Lana he sought out Computer Jack, telling him if there was anything he needed, anything at _all, _he could consider Leonardo at his beck and call. The kid idolized him, but Jack wasn't sure that he minded. It was nice to be appreciated.

Then, there had been Sam. He now wanted to put Jack in charge of all heavy-duty manual labor that had to be done. The old Computer Jack would have protested; would have said that his place was with his Mac, not with a plow. However, Jack couldn't bear to disappoint Sam. Besides, a little exercise wouldn't kill him.

And then there was the 'hero' thing.

Kids were now coming up to him, asking if he could help them out with things; getting their cats out of trees, picking vegetables, ect. At first, Jack had thought this annoying, but he gradually came to see it as sweet. He'd never spoken to so many people in his life. He'd never been outgoing at school or at social activities (the few he attended), and now he was meeting new people all the time! Jack had never been happier.

And, of course, the Breeze.

He couldn't believe his ears when she asked him out to lunch. Not that this wasn't a common occurrence in the FAYZ. Kids didn't have much food, but what little they did they tended to share with close friends. Jack just couldn't believe that the Breeze considered him to be a close friend.

"So," Jack said, trying to make conversation, "how's the cabbage picking going?" The Breeze glanced up from her orange.

"Uh, pretty good. We picked a total of 200 today." Jack's eyebrows rose.

"Wow. You must be exhausted." The Breeze shrugged.

"I guess. Listen, I should get going." She stood and Jack's heart sunk. He hadn't wanted her to go so soon.

"Oh, okay," he said. "I guess I'll see you around, Breeze." For a split second the Breeze paused as she packed up the remains of their lunch.

"Call me Brianna," she said.

_Brianna…_it sounded so ordinary to Jack. So unlike the Breeze.

"You sure?" he asked. "I mean, I know how much you like your nickname…you know, with your power and all." Brianna grinned, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

"Yeah, but sometimes it's nice to stop playing super hero. Even we pros need our coffee breaks." She winked at him.

"Yeah, I guess you do," he said, grabbing his own pack.

"You act like you aren't one of us," the Breeze scoffed.

"Well…" Jack muttered, not meeting her eyes. "That's 'cause I'm not." Brianna frowned.

"What do you mean?" Jack fidgeted.

"Well, I'm not a super hero. I'm not like you, or Sam, or Dekka, or even Edilio. I'm not brave or courageous. When there's a battle I hide behind my desk. I take the safest side. I didn't try and save you guys when your hands were plastered at Coates; I didn't try to help Sam when the coyotes attacked; I even went _with_ Caine and Diana and Drake to feed the Darkness. I'm weak. Heroes aren't weak." At that last sentence Jack voice cracked. He struggled not to cry like a baby.

"Jack…" Suddenly the Breeze was at his side. Brianna lifted his face so that he would have no choice but to look her in the eye.

"Jack you _are_ brave. You risked your life for me when Drake wanted to rip me apart. You _aren't_ weak; weak people don't risk the wrath of Caine Soren to warn his brother when he's about to poof. You are a hero. You…well, you're _my_ hero." Jack blinked down at Brianna, who was still holding his face in her hands.

"I—I am?" She nodded.

"Of course you are. You just…you just need a better nickname is all." Computer Jack frowned.

"Yeah, I guess Computer Jack just doesn't cut it anymore, huh?" Brianna laughed.

"No, it doesn't. What about…the Hulk?"

"Superman?"

"No way! If you get to be Superman, then I get to be Wonderwoman."

"Really? I always thought you'd pick the Flash." As Brianna grinned a voice called out to her.

"Yo! Breeze!" It was Quinn, running toward them at full speed. The two hastily pulled away from each other, though Quinn didn't seem to notice anything out of place.

"Hey, Brianna, Sam needs you to help out with something. I think there's a fire. It's not bad, but he needs your help carrying water." Brianna rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll be there." Quinn smiled.

"See ya," he said before dashing away. Brianna sighed.

"Ah, alas, a hero's work is never done." Jack chuckled.

"I'll see you later, right?" he asked timidly. Brianna nodded.

"Count on, Superman." She turned as if to go, and then stopped. The Breeze stared back at Computer Jack, an odd expression on her face. Then, before Jack could comprehend what was happening, Brianna leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. It wasn't long or passionate, but and nice, soft kiss. It was just right.

"Later," she whispered in his ear. And then she was gone, just a blur in the wind.

Jack considered himself lucky to have a hero like that.

**A/N: Can we all say 'Awww!' That was so sweet my gums are hurting. I hoped that I did this pairing justice. I'll be waiting for your review, Rouge! Please tell me if you like it…or if it's too corny…**

**Later, Gone Lovers! **


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